Ask the expert
We are buying our first house and we are concerned about interest rates. Someone mentioned a mortgage buydown to get lower rates. What is this? A mortgage…
Author: Rick Good
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader's money, real estate, and business coverage.
Should you stay or should you go?
Here is a happy problem: Should you renovate or move? No matter what choice you make, you are going to have something better. But when you get into the…
Are successful people just lucky?
You hear it all the time: That person was ‘lucky’ in business. Or those people are ‘more fortunate’ than others. But what role does ‘luck’ really play in…
The criteria of emotional maturity
At every age, people work to become emotionally stable and mature. Among the signs of emotional maturity: * You realize the world isn’t populated with…
Be aware of the characteristics of grief
The death of a loved one sets off profound grief that can affect every part of someone’s life. According to Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer center,…
Tech layoffs explained: Is a once-hot sector on thin ice?
After expanding staff sizes for years, many tech companies have announced dramatic layoffs in recent months. What’s driving the downsizing? Certainly the…
Outlook good: The unlikely story of the Magic 8 Ball
It is decidedly so. Reply hazy, try again. Outlook not so good. Signs point to yes. Chances are high that you know exactly where these phrases come from….
Everything is coming up (magenta) roses for 2023
By now you might have noticed that products seems to be pretty — well, rosy this year. Or downright pink. There’s a name for that: Viva Magenta! Viva…
How to keep teen drivers safe
Teens are notorious risk-takers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), and they may not consider the consequences of…
Instead of going up, mansions go down
Down is the new up when it comes to luxury homes. Or at least that’s what architect Randy Correll said in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal….